Redknapp wants only ‘English boy’ for England coach job

LONDON - Tottenham Hotspur manager Harry Redknapp has said that only English coaches should be considered for the country’s national team after Fabio Capello’s contract ends in 2012.

“Should the England job only be for the English? I would back that. I’ll get slaughtered, I’m sure, for saying it, but I want to see an English boy have a go,” The Sun quoted Redknapp, as saying.

“The coaching badge now takes about three years to do. They have to go through all kinds of psychology courses, as well as the football stuff. If you can’t produce someone out of all that who can manage the country, then what we should do is send them over to Italy to do their coaching badge there!” “Maybe if they can do the Italian coaching badge, then they will be better at the job than having done the courses here in England,” he added.

Redknapp is further convinced that there are ‘younger guys’ like Sunderland manager Steve Bruce and Scunthorpe United manager Nigel Adkins, who can do the job.

“There are a lot of good football people who never get the opportunity to manage at a higher level, but who would be just as good and just as clever given the chance and know just as much about the game,” the 63-year-old said.

“Look at the lad who was due to go to Southampton, Nigel Adkins. You only have to listen to him. He’s as bright as a button. Look at the job he has done at Scunthorpe, keeping them in the Championship. There has to be one of those boys out there somewhere. Give them a chance,” he added. (ANI)